Ice skate



May 20, 194.1.

W. E. PROSEY ICE SKATE Filed Feb. 18, 1939 IN VENTOR.

Mu. Ml! 51 0 6) MW ATTORNEYS Patented May 29, 1941 UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE ICE SKATE William E. Prosey, Cleveland, Ohio Application February 18, 1939, Serial No. 257,233

2 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of ice skates.

With the conventional type of ice skate, it becomes necessary from time to time to have the blade thereof sharpened, which involves not only the expense of such service but also the loss of use of the skates during the time required for the sharpening operation.

In past years, there have been attempts to devise a double-edge skate blade which is removable and reversible so that either edge of the blade might be used, some means being provided for removably securing the blade in operative assembly. But the construction of such prior devices has proved impractical, either with respect to the form of the blade or the means for mounting and securing the same in position upon the body of the skate. As a result, this reversible type of skate has not come into popular use or any use at all, so far as I am aware.

It is therefore the object of my present invention to devise an ice skate with a reversible, double-edged blade which can be removably attached to the body of the skate in a convenient and secure manner, thereby permitting the use of both edges of the blade with correspondingly increased efficiency.

The particular manner of assembly of the skate blade also constitutes an object of my invention, this feature contributing to the efiiciency, dependability and long life as well as the increased practical value from the standpoint of manufacture.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawing.

Fig. l is a side elevation of my improved skate structure;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the double-edged blade alone;

Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 are sectional views taken on lines 3--3 and 44, respectively, of Fig. 1.

It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for purposes of illustration and that there may be devised various modifications thereof without departing from the spirit of my invention as herein set forth and claimed.

Except for the particular improvement with respect to my reversible, double-edged blade, the structure of skate herein illustrated will be recognized as the conventional tubular form in which 4 the upright tubes l and 2 are secured to plates on the underside of the shoe S, as well as the forward toe support 3 which is connected to the same shoe plate as the forward tube 2, this being readily understood by those who are familiar with this type of shoe-attached skate. Also, the supporting members I, 2 and 3 are connected at their lower ends to the hollow tubular portion 4, the lower part of which terminates in the depending parallel fianges 5.

In my present improved structure, the lower edges of the flange portions 5 are turned inwardly and upwardly upon themselves so as to provide ribs 6 for slide engagement in the corresponding grooves I in the opposite sides of the blade 8. As indicated, the grooves I extend longitudinally and along the middle of the blade member and are open at their ends so as to permit slidable engagement of the same with the ribs 6. The forward end of the blade member has a tongue portion 9 which is adapted to engage between the slightly spaced portions I!) at the lower end of the toe support, with snug fit, this same manner of engagement being possible when the blade is in either of its two positions. At this point, as well as at other spaced points along the zone of the blade engagement, there are screws II for holding the blade in position after it is assembled. The heads of these screws are countersunk and they are threaded preferably only at their ends for engagement with the correspondingly threaded portions of the body of the skate. The number of screws may be varied and the precise form of means for securing the blade in position may also vary.

When one of the edges 8a of the blade becomes dull and it is desired to reverse the blade 8, the screws l I are removed, the blade is slid from engagement with the'ribs G and is then replaced in reversed position so as to expose the other blade edge 33b for use, whereupon the screws I l are replaced as before. It will be seen that the upper idle edge of the blade is enclosed within and hence protected by the tubular portion 4.

Then when both edges of the blade have been used to the point of dullness, the blade may be removed and replaced by an entirely new doubleedged blade like the first one at a comparatively little cost, the idea being that .these blades will be kept in stock and supplied to the user at a popular price so as to be available at any time and. ready for use without having to lose the use of the skates for any appreciable time.

The blade of my skate is in firm engagement throughout its entire length and my particular manner of attaching the blade is very secure and dependable and can be easily manipulated by anyone. Thus my improvement can be enjoyed with all feeling of safety and with an increased degree of efiiciency as compared with the old volved will not be any greater than that now entailed in having the skates sharpened.

What I claim is:

1. An ice skate comprising a body portion to which the blade is attached, said body portion having a longitudinally extending portion that is closed along the top thereof and having a pair of depending spaced longitudinally extending por tions with longitudinally extending ribs upon the,

inner sides thereof, and having a forwardly closed toe portion with slightly spaced portions,

opening rearwardly to receive and protectthe.

front end of the blade in either of its two positions, a double-edgedreversibleblade havinga longitudinally extending groove, upon each side thereof for detachable sli dable engagement with said ribs so as to expose the lower edge of the blade for use and to protect the upper edge thereof within said top portion, and saidblade having its forward end, adapted; for reversible engagement between the said spaced portions of said toe portion.

2. An ice skate comprising a body portion to which the blade is attached, said body portion 5 having a longitudinally extending portion that is hollow and closed along the top thereof and having a pair of depending spaced longitudinally extending portions with longitudinally extending ribs upon the inner sides thereof, and having a 10 forwardly closed toe-portionwith slightly spaced portions opening-rearwardly to receive and protect the front end of the blade in either of its two positions, a double-edged reversible blade having a longitudinally extending groove upon each side 15..thereof-.for detachable slidable engagement with ,said ribs sov as, to expose the lower edge of the blade for use and to protect the upper edge there of within said hollow top portion, the interior of said hol ow portion being of substantially greater 20 width than the thickness of the skate blade so that the upper edgeof the blade will be substantially free of engagement'with the wall of said hollow portion, and said blade having its forward end adapted for reversible engagement between 1 5 said spaced portions of said toe portion. 1

WILLIAM E. PROS-BY; 

